Batman '89: Scene by Scene

[JohnnyGobbs]

I've got a great idea for a coffeetable book: The Ineffectual Mayors of Gotham City. Or does that sound more like a calendar?

I'd buy that.

Anyway, I want to mention Roger Pratt's cinematography here. Burton, Furst, and Elfman tend to receive the lion's share of the credit for setting this film's atmosphere and striking sense of place, and they're deserving of course, but Pratt is one of the great directors of photography in the business, and he demonstrates why here.

Yes, very good call. Roger Pratt's work is superb, although I'll probably reserve specific praise for his stunning cinematography in the later scene featuring the Batmobile's journey to the Batcave.

 

[El Payaso]

Yeah, Kane had plans to cameo as the cartoonist...but he became ill and couldn't shoot. He also apparently has a cameo in "Batman Forever" as a guest at the Nygmatech party, dancing with wife Elizabeth Sanders (who plays Gossip Gerty in the Schumacher films) but was constantly upstaged by extras...I've never been able to make him out in any shot, but he made mention of it in a 1995 interview.

I also read that Kane was supposed to be the man who says "He's more like a Penguin" to the woman that says "He's like a frog that turned into a prince!" - who is, by the way, Elizabeth Sanders too - in Batman Returns.

 

[JohnnyGobbs]

5. Knox Meets Vale

This sequence opens with our first full glimpse of Gotham's highly industrialised, art-deco inspired city centre, including The Flugelheim Art Gallery, the exterior of which resembles a giant bank vault, and the integration between the set work and the matte work in this first shot is entirely seamless.

We also get some further interplay between Gotham's top bureaucrats, including the decent but hopelessly deluded Mayor Borg who seems to believe that the city's woes can be simply alleviated with a giant bicentennial celebration.

Next up we are introduced to the offices of the famous 'Gotham Globe', Knox's workplace where he appears to be regarded by his colleagues as something of a hack, not least for his steadfast belief that Gotham's criminal community is being terrorised by a 6' bat. We can but sympathise with the unfairly mocked Knox during this scene, and it's a pity that we never get to see him celebrate his vindication once the existence of the said giant bat is later confirmed.

This is also our first glimpse of tenacious photo-journalist Vicki Vale, and I have to say that whilst it's a shame Sean Young's replacement from this role was prompted by a horse-riding injury, it's a massive stroke of luck that this part ultimately fell to Kim Basinger, who has arguably never looked as physically stunning as she does in this film. Although Basinger doesn't bear a glaring resemblance to the traditional depiction of the flame-haired Vicki Vale, her classical beauty certainly appears to come straight out of a comic-book. In fact, Bob Kane originally based Vale's look on a young (then unknown) Norma Jean Baker, and was consequently delighted by Basinger's relative likeness to Marilyn Monroe.

Needless to say, irrespective of her obvious beauty Basinger gives a wonderfully warm performance in this film, particularly during her scenes with Keaton, and demonstrates that her acclaimed work in 'L.A. Confidential' was no fluke (as some unkind critics have suggested).

However, if I do have one minor complaint with this scene it relates to the rather rapid paced relationship between Knox and Vale. Sam Hamm's original 1986 screenplay clearly indicates that the good-humoured rapport shared by this pair throughout the story is based on a long-standing professional relationship. In the film however, Vale has barely known Knox for 5 minutes before she is inviting him to be her 'plus one' for Bruce Wayne's benefit bash. The concern Knox later expresses to Vale regarding her burgeoning closeness to Bruce Wayne also seems a little disproportionate for their relatively short friendship, and would make more sense if Knox and Vale had known each other for several years (during which time he would have harboured genuine feelings for her). Still, this scene represents a light-hearted break from the various sub-plots developing between the film's villains, and helps to further establish a welcome foil for Vale's inquisitive professional snapper.

Additional Comments:

- Apparently Gotham's 200th Anniversary has left the city $250,000 in the red. Apart from some rather grim banners and a few hundred balloons, where did all the money go? No wonder the city has changed mayor by Batman Returns.

- Dennis Lill who plays the cartoonist who hands Knox the mocking image of the 'Bat-Man', is possibly better known to UK audiences as Rodney's father-in-law in 'Only Fools & Horses'. I'm kinda happy this role wasn't played by Bob Kane himself as I wouldn't have been too keen on him being called a 'dick', even in jest.

- Did anyone else notice the picture of the giant 'Popeye' on Knox's pinboard? It looks a lot like the inflated baby float from The Joker's parade later on in the movie.

 

[Homer J. Fong]

However, if I do have one minor complaint with this scene it relates to the rather rapid paced relationship between Knox and Vale. Sam Hamm's original 1986 screenplay clearly indicates that the good-humoured rapport shared by this pair throughout the story is based on a long-standing professional relationship. In the film however, Vale has barely known Knox for 5 minutes before she is inviting him to be her 'plus one' for Bruce Wayne's benefit bash. The concern Knox later expresses to Vale regarding her burgeoning closeness to Bruce Wayne also seems a little disproportionate for their relatively short friendship, and would make more sense if Knox and Vale had known each other for several years (during which time he would have harboured genuine feelings for her).

I would have to agree, this is one element from Hamm's first draft that I wish had been retained. The way Basinger and Wuhl play it, they could just as easily have been old friends anyway. As it stands in the film, the plot requires their relationship to accelerate pretty quickly.

 

[Travesty]

I would have to agree, this is one element from Hamm's first draft that I wish had been retained. The way Basinger and Wuhl play it, they could just as easily have been old friends anyway. As it stands in the film, the plot requires their relationship to accelerate pretty quickly.

I took it as some guy who was interested in Vale, she was somewhat interested as well, until she meet Bruce, who she feel more in love with. Its the way dating goes, folks.....

 

[CFE]

I also read that Kane was supposed to be the man who says "He's more like a Penguin" to the woman that says "He's like a frog that turned into a prince!" - who is, by the way, Elizabeth Sanders too - in Batman Returns.

I knew about Sanders, but I didn't know about that being a vehicle for another Kane cameo.

I was always disappointed that Kane never got a due cameo in the films...

 

[Homer J. Fong]

6. Grissom's #1 Guy

(Running time: 0:14:40 - 0:17:00)

Spoiler

A pretty memorable shot with that quick pan up the skyscraper brings us back into the world of organized crime in Gotham. Finally we meet crime boss Carl Grissom, and as Tim Burton said, if any actor could play Jack Nicholson's boss, it's Jack Palance. Palance has his overacting tendencies, but that's fine, it's an appropriate role for that. He makes the most of his very little screentime, and as difficult as he may have been on set, he carries a great presence onscreen.

As Jack noted a couple scenes ago, Dent has indeed been coming closer and closer to breaking down the door on all of Grissom's operations. Something must be done, Jack makes a smug, very sarcastic suggestion of "industrial espionage," and Grissom, without missing a beat, takes Jack up on it and puts him on task.

Now how cocky is Jack Napier? Well, so cocky that he'll bug out near-Tex Avery goo-goo eyes at Alicia with Grissom a few feet away and not even bother to look over his shoulder to see that, yeah, the tired old man is onto you. Eckhardt, having clearly tipped off Grissom about the affair, is rewarded by being given the chance to arrest Jack at Axis Chemicals. I don't mean to just recap, but, well, things are getting good now.

 

[JohnnyGobbs]

6. Grissom's #1 Guy

This scene begins with a vertiginous shot of a massive high-rise building symbolising the oppressive corrupt power that literally looms over Gotham's streets. Inside we meet the man responsible for the city's climate of fear, mob boss Carl Grissom played by the monumental Jack Palance (one of the few actors who can credibly dwarf consummate scene-stealer Jack Nicholson).

It's easy to forget that Palance's screen-time is relatively brief, since his towering presence dominates his two comparatively short sequences (including his death scene). Although much has been made of the 'two Jacks' penchant for over-acting, via subtle gestures they are able to communicate various dimensions to Grissom and Napier's relationship (both of whom are in the process of deceiving the other throughout this scene).

Grissom's conference with his lawyer and various associates (which in keeping with the film's 80s milieu seems to take a very corporate approach) is essentially a pretence in order to get Napier to trash Axis Chemicals, and thus place himself in the line of fire when the cops arrive (courtesy of a thoughtful tip-off from one of Gotham's obliging citizens ). The cocky grin Jack flashes Alicia as she enters Grissom's apartment under a mountain of shopping bags, confirms the mob boss' suspicions about their affair and consolidates his present course of action as far as his duplicitous deputy is concerned. Nevertheless, Grissom's barely contained grimace and the lump in his throat suggest that he would rather rip Jack's lungs out at that very moment if that was a feasible option.

Instead, Grissom disguises his contempt with fake bonhomie, declaring Jack to be his '#1 guy' before reminding his subordinate to remember his 'lucky deck'. The bemused smirk on Jack's face as he turns to leave says it all - "this old guy's lost it!". However, Grissom's subsequent expression is even more telling; contrary to what Jack may think he's no fool, and this will be the last time he'll have to countenance Jack's insolence again.

Additional Comments:

- Choice Dialogue: "Now don't forget your lucky deck." delivered with Palance's customary panache. "Your luck is about to change my friend."

 

[Homer J. Fong]

7. Party at Wayne Manor

(Running time: 0:17:00 - 0:20:02)

Spoiler

Now, what genre does this film fall into really? "Superhero movie" isn't a genre unto itself (subgenre, I suppose); there are action set pieces, but not at enough of a length or pace to be a genuine action/adventure movie; it's not plotted enough or mysterious enough to be a thriller; really, the most obvious and most fitting description is 'gothic fairy tale' (for me, anyway). And like every other, Batman has its very own castle, secluded and separated from the rest of the city, in the form of Wayne Manor. It's such a fantasy of design and conception, the opulent mansion that doubles as vital workstation and dark sanctuary.

This scene also gives us our last two significant character introductions in Alfred and - although he hasn't introduced himself just yet - Bruce Wayne. (Also, this is the only time before The Dark Knight where we see a Mrs. Gordon on screen.) Of course, we all know the moment: Vicki and Bruce have their cute little "excuse me" riff (which actually is cute), she asks which one of these guys is Bruce Wayne, and he responds "Well, I'm not sure." I just still don't know how to take that. Surely we're not to interpret it that Bruce actually doesn't know in that moment, so I would assume he's just trying to blend in with the crowd and wait for a quieter moment to introduce himself to Vicki. For me, though, that would be the only point in Burton's two films where the neurotic recluse approach is taken a little too far.

A few other notes:
-As CFE mentioned, Prince's "Vicki Waiting" can be heard as the scene begins, and "Electric Chair" starts just after Bruce notices Vicki across the room.
-Ever dedicated, Mayor Borg even stations a girl holding a "Save the Festival" collection tray for the incoming guests.
-It's a tiny thing, but I really like the way Billy Dee Williams mockingly says "ghosts and goblins."
-

 

[JohnnyGobbs]

7. Party at Wayne Manor

As Homer has suggested, Wayne Manor (Bruce's ancestral home) is akin to the remote, foreboding castles of much Gothic fiction (such as Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher). The presence of a grandiose, imposing and architecturally archaic building at complete odds to the surrounding community is a recurrent motif in Burton's films; and like Edward Scissorhands' hilltop tower and Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, Wayne Manor functions as both the protagonist's home, and the only possible sanctum for their various secrets.

However, the audience's introduction to Wayne Manor is via its more hospitable, public-facade during a charity casino to raise funds for Gotham's approaching Bicentennial. This is also our first glimpse of Michael Gough's unflappable Alfred Pennyworth, one of the few elements of the initial Batman franchise to receive unanimous praise. Once again, the actor's physical likeness to his comic counterpart can be disputed yet Gough imbues the role with a wonderfully dry, laconic wit that is unmistakeably 'Alfred'. Furthermore, Gough adds a warm, fatherly presence arguably absent from the traditional rather aloof interpretation of this character (Michael Caine excepted) that leaves us in no doubt that Bruce Wayne was well-raised and cared for despite his early childhood trauma.

Arguably the greatest liberty Burton took with his version of Batman was with Bruce Wayne himself. Unlike the socially confident playboy of the comics (and the persona essayed by Bale in the current series) this Wayne is a truly personal 'Burtonesque' take that nevertheless, is rendered entirely credible within this specific world. Michael Keaton's lead is a shy, reclusive man (whose billionaire is more in the mould of an eccentric Howard Hughes than a dashing John F Kennedy, Jr.) apparently more comfortable in the Batsuit than his own skin. When we first meet Wayne he is seemingly unsure of his own (current) identity and appears somewhat dumbfounded during his first encounter with Vicki Vale, who is admittedly at her most radiant, dressed like a 1950s debutante.

I'll admit that Michael Keaton is not the first name that would have sprung to mind if I were to have mused on the various casting possibilities for Bruce Wayne circa 1989 (rumoured candidates Alec Baldwin, Pierce Brosnan and Mel Gibson would certainly have seemed more appropriate). However, it is now impossible to think of another actor who will be able to inject this character with the degree of depth Keaton was able to evoke. Whilst Christopher Nolan has undoubtedly come the closest of any live-action filmmaker to bringing the purist's 'Batman' to the big-screen, for all the naysayer's carping that Burton doesn't understand or care about his lead character, there seems to a be a greater degree of psychological credibility to his interpretation of Bruce Wayne. As Burton contended, "If some guy is 6'5" with gigantic muscles and incredibly handsome, why does he need to put on an armoured Batsuit...?"

As the later flashback sequence demonstrates, Bruce is a man who has been left permanently scarred in having witnessed his parents' brutal murder as a boy. Consequently, he has dedicated his entire life to enacting some sort of retribution and personal atonement for that event to the exclusion of anything approaching a developed social identity. The later scenes in which the sweet, unassuming Bruce begins courting Vicki perfectly illustrates how lost and unpracticed he seems in this persona in contrast to the gravitas he projects as 'Batman'.

Additional Comments:

- Various extras seem to pop up in multiple-parts during the film, and this is particularly noticeable of the extras during the party scene. For instance, I'm sure the pretty woman collecting for the Bicentennial fund also shows up during the later flashback sequence as one of the wealthy ladies who follow the Waynes out of the Monarch Theatre.

- It's great to see Mayor Borg, D.A. Harvey Dent and Commish Gordon again (this time being harassed by Alexander Knox). As Homer mentioned, this is also the one occasion during the Burton/Schumacher franchise where we get to see, albeit briefly, a member of Gordon's family, the dialogue-free Mrs. Gordon (which says it all in terms of how relatively marginalised Commissioner Gordon was during these films). Still, Hingle manages to do a lot with his far-too-short role in this film, adding a few paternalistic touches during his exchange with the young cop who advises him of the Axis Chemicals break-in.

 

[Homer J. Fong]

8. Their Odd Host

(Running time: 0:20:03 - 0:23:54)

Spoiler

"Living room, dining room, arsenal."

This is a very interesting scene, and I wondered how I was going to write about it. Bruce Wayne has always been enveloped by the monster he created, The Batman, he's always been first and foremost that persona, that creature, no matter what interpretation you're reading, watching, or playing. Burton, Keaton, and Hamm chose to push this much further, however, and show us a character who doesn't know how to play the playboy socialite, at least not as major public face, and doesn't really try. A reclusive neurotic who sees "Bruce Wayne" as absolutely nothing more than a cover. It's clear here that Wayne is a philanthropist of a sort, but also a collector of strange armor, sculpture, and weaponry. He's a name without a face basically, and that makes it a lot easier for Knox and Vicki to scoff at an entire room filled with this stuff.

But then Bruce introduces himself, and Vicki is as stricken with him as he is with her (and wondering why he didn't just say he was Bruce Wayne in the first place). Keaton and Basinger's relationship in the film does feel genuine most of the time, and that's good, because a few weakly-scripted moments later on need such a rapport. Robert Wuhl is very funny here, seeing Vicki's attraction to Bruce and trying to step in before it's too late (Bruce says Vicki has a great eye, Knox cracks "yeah, some people think she has two," Bruce orders 6 more bottles of champagne, Knox cracks "yeah, six is good"), and checking himself out in "Bruce Vain's" mirror.

And now we enter the private world of the Batcave, or at least a part of it, as Bruce watches Commissioner Gordon get the Axis Chemicals tip and leave. Michael Keaton does some excellent subtle work here, going from the dryer humor we've just seen to this more focused figure. Finally, Danny Elfmnan's music (which has laid pretty low since the credits) here is perfectly entrancing, promising a world not quite like anything you've seen before.

 

[JohnnyGobbs]

8. Their Odd Host

This scene begins with Knox and Vale happening upon Bruce Wayne's arsenal. The various armoured figures on display presumably constitute research for Wayne's Batsuit, but to Knox and Vale, this bizarre assortment merely confirms their host's seemingly innocuous eccentricity. Michael Keaton has a wonderful moment in this scene as we watch him chance upon these interlopers making some rather cruel jibes at his expense. Graciously, Wayne takes all of their wise-cracks in his stride apparently curious to discover what exactly his guests say about him behind his back. Wayne's subsequent sudden reveal to the pair and his deadpan delivery of the line, "Because I bought it in Japan" demonstrates the comic skills Keaton had hitherto been known for prior to playing Batman.

There is some wonderful interplay between Keaton, Wuhl and Basinger during this scene, as we watch the two men effectively compete for Vale's attention. The rather shy Wayne is smitten with Vale, offering an admiring appreciation of her work whilst the visibly threatened Knox attempts to assert his presence by mocking his upper-class host's apparent pretensions and humouring him when the sweet-natured Wayne somewhat absently seeks his approval regarding the number of champagne cases to open ("yeah, six is good").

Alfred either by design or purely by luck arrives to his master's side just as the conversation begins to turn to what exactly Bruce Wayne, the philanthropist billionaire does with his life. Before departing however, Wayne delivers one final act to fully consolidate the rich buffoon image he has so carefully cultivated, asking Alfred to administer the grant Knox 'requested'.

Of course, neither Knox nor Vale realise at this moment that the host they continue to dismiss as an idle blue-blood is in the process of assuming the very persona that has aroused their journalistic passion. Neither are they aware that 'Bruce Vain's' oversized mirror before which they are standing, is both a reflection of the image Wayne wishes to project to the rest of the world and an actual front for the identity he needs to conceal from it. Courtesy of an excellent camera reveal carrying the audience from the two-way mirror, to an array of video screens in which Knox and Vale is but one of many images being recorded we are finally let-in on Bruce's 'secret'.

Additional Comments:

- Vale makes some mocking comments about Bruce being 'the most worthless guy in America' in reference to his wealth, but that seems a little galling when she appears to be by far the most expensively dressed person at his party.

- I would like to add to Homer's praise of Danny Elfman's music cue for the sequence in which the film enters the Bat-cave. There's a wonderful slightly sinister fairy-tale quality to it which seems perfect for the almost magical reveal of Batman' lair.

- Choice Dialogue: "You know, you've got a wonderful eye?" "Some people think she has two." It's an obvious line, but pretty funny and it further establishes what a wiseass Knox can be.

 

[Homer J. Fong]

The various armoured figures on display presumably constitute research for Wayne's Batsuit, but to Knox and Vale, this bizarre assortment merely confirms their host's seemingly innocuous eccentricity.

It's strange, but I hadn't really thought of that. However, it is a pretty good rationalization for the armor assortment here - although I do think it was more of a stylistic touch than a practical one.

 

[JohnnyGobbs]

It's strange, but I hadn't really thought of that. However, it is a pretty good rationalization for the armor assortment here - although I do think it was more of a stylistic touch than a practical one.

You're probably right - I am probably rationalising something that wasn't actually intended to be more than a stylistic touch. Apart from anything else, why would Wayne need the 'King of the Whicker People' armour in researching the Batsuit?

Still, I do like to think that some purpose can at least be read into why Bruce collects 'all this junk', and that interpretation kind of makes sense.

 

[Homer J. Fong]

9. Axis Chemical Ambush

(Running time: 0:23:55 - 0:27:02)

Spoiler

One of the great things about a picture like this, one that features a fictitious and highly stylized city at the center, is that it allows the director, production designer, set decorators, matte artists, etc. total freedom to let their fantasies loose. Even the establishing shots - like the one of Axis Chemicals that begins this scene - are striking in themselves, thanks to an aesthetic that ingeniously combines several styles: it's not pure art deco, it's certainly not pure urban grittiness, it's not period '40s, it's not contemporary, it's not futuristic, it's a mishmash of all of those, and hence achieves a brilliant texture of its own.

So Eckhardt now has his golden opportunity to take down Jack Napier, and he is going to seize it. But Jack is smarter than some would give him credit for being and quickly sees that someone on the inside - not only 'someone,' but Grissom - has tipped off the cops. Basically, once the words "we've been ratted out here, boys" leave his lips, all hell breaks loose in a rush to finish the job before anyone can be arrested - or, in Jack's case, killed.

The shot of Gordon and his officers coming in is actually a very commanding one, and I'll talk now about Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon. Although the following three films make Gordon out to be a good-intentioned but hardly effective leader who relies too much on Batman's presence, the Gordon of this film is much more the solid, competent, admirable figure we like to see, the lonely decent man amidst the corruption Eckhardt represents. Hingle's a better actor than the part he had in the rest of the series, but he shines here.

(Minor note: funny, Hootkins' noir gravel seems to drop instantly when he asks "what are you trying to do, blow the collar?")

Burton had absolutely no experience with action movies or sequences prior to taking this movie on, and although they're not the most exciting, the set pieces of Batman are all interesting and compelling in their own way (well, not all of them). His shootouts here are broad, if not cartoonish, with plenty of richocheting bullets and larger-than-life sound effects. Of course, this is also the moment where the police, most notably Gordon, finally see the Batman, dangling one of Napier's goons over a railing high above. Burton (nearly) always gave Batman big entrances in his films, and this is a vivid one, certainly. Finally, Hingle's "oh my God" is a concisely effective way of expressing the sheer awe of discovering such a figure. (One last note: Keaton's Batman has a way of seeming to enjoy the thug's pleas as he's dangling that's funny in a dark way.)

 

[JohnnyGobbs]

9. Axis Chemical Ambush

Burton has never been acknowledged as an especially proficient action director, and it's probably fair to say that as a former Disney animator he understandably appears more comfortable dealing with the aesthetic rather than the kinetic aspects of filmmaking. Nevertheless, I find the slower yet more coherent handling of his Batman films' key action sequences far preferable to the relentless, hyperkinetic editing prevalent in most modern blockbusters. Fight scenes can often appear rather tired and generic in most directors' hands, but under Burton's control such sequences each have their own distinct style, like the later semi-balletic brawl in the belltower and 1930s gangster-type shoot-out that takes place in Axis Chemicals.

The Axis Chemicals building itself is a wonderfully bizarre structure that like many of Anton Furst's designs appears to be inspired by early 20th century Cubist and Italian Futurist architecture. Inside, we are reintroduced to the sleazy Lieutenant Eckhart who is seeking to earn a tasty pay-packet from Grissom by ordering his officers to take out Jack Napier.

Napier has of course been 'ratted out', and the expression on his face is priceless as it switches from typical arrogance to a mixture of shock and panic once the threadbare content of the safe he has been instructed to ransack is revealed. Although Napier advises his men to tread carefully, any possibility of exiting quietly is swiftly abandoned once they begin taking aim at the surrounding cops. Not least Jack himself who much like James Cagney during the factory scene in 'White Heat', seems intent in causing as much mayhem as possible. Like a child in a funfair, he seems to be having too much fun smashing various dials and switches, all the while mini-explosions set off around him.

Thankfully, Gordon's arrival suggests that some sense of order might be brought to the scene especially after he reprimands the wayward Lieutenant Eckhart. Apparently there is no love lost between these two officers; Eckhart openly disrespects his superior ("Christ! What are you trying to do? Blow my cover?"), whilst Gordon has clearly clocked the other man's number ("I'm in charge here! Not Carl Grissom.") This exchange also demonstrates Gordon's desire to see Jack 'taken alive' and that it is Grissom who is still perceived as Gotham's main threat, not the psychopathic Napier who is merely seen as a means by which the 'bigger fish' can be brought to justice. Unfortunately, for Gotham's forces of law and order that day will never transpire, and for now the blame can be directed at one man...

Although the audience know that Batman will eventually be installed as Gotham's own 'dark knight', one of the most compelling aspects of this film is the way in which we perceive through the eyes of the supporting cast the very first sighting of what had hitherto been an urban myth. At this stage of the story, Batman is almost an otherwordly, monstrous figure who may very well be as dangerous as the men he seeks to avenge. The grave manner in which Gordon utters the words "Oh my God!", as he captures his first glimpse of the vigilante behind the dangling figure of one of his terrified victims perfectly captures the fear he rouses in even the most sound-minded of individuals.

Additional Comments:

- I love the facial expression of the cop to the left of Eckhart after the Lieutenant has directed his squad to "Shoot to kill...know what I mean?" It seems to be saying 'This guy's out of control. I'm sure this is not regulation procedure.'

 

[Homer J. Fong]

Not least Jack himself who much like James Cagney during the factory scene in 'White Heat', seems intent in causing as much mayhem as possible. Like a child in a funfair, he seems to be having too much fun smashing various dials and switches, all the while mini-explosions set off around him.

Yeah, Jack likes a show, apparently. As brutally effective as he is, it's clear that a syndicate like Grissom's isn't the right operation for Jack to express his wilder, flashier impulses, and that foreshadows the transformation to come.

 

[Homer J. Fong]

10. Napier's Plunge

(Running time: 0:27:03 - 0:30:21)

Spoiler

Again we see how well Batman is portrayed as both a theatrical (a word I'm sure I'll be using often in this thread) figure who plays some choice, effective games with his prey, and a swift, deliberate man of action. He takes down the goon with one (backward) punch before the guy even knows he's there, he glides down to the catwalk and knocks the gun right out of Napier's hand, and in those two modes he's almost a contradiction.

The Axis Chemicals plant set(s) is one of the strongest created for the film: a very unseemly maze of girders and catwalks, the sort of place where wherever you go, you feel like you're in some sort of danger.

There's no way now that this operation can end up in Jack's favor but he has to have something to say for himself, right? So when Bob (in a real showing of loyalty!) has Gordon at gunpoint ready to leave, Jack makes a desperate bid for revenge and shoots Eckhardt, along with a brilliantly smug "think about the future!"

Of course, that satisfaction will be short-lived, as Batman is on the scene again, deflecting Jack's bullet and allowing it to ricochet and shoot Jack through his face. He stumbles back over the railing and that leads to a debate I've seen/heard off and on through the years: did Batman really try to save Jack Napier? Myself, I don't think there is much of a debate; I think it's quite clear by the expression on Keaton's face that he's struggling to keep hold of Napier's hand (that's why I posted that picture). But the hand of fate was more powerful...

(Okay, that was cheesy, but I kinda like it.)

The police naturally interpret it otherwise, but the Batman is much too fast for them - in a getaway that's really not very quick but more elegant in simplicity. We're left with the eerie image of a mutilated hand rising up out of the acid, a visual that's become a horror icon, I believe starting with Carrie.

So much for that lucky deck.

 

[JohnnyGobbs]

10 Napier's Plunge

This sequence immediately follows on from the preceding Axis Chemical ambush, with Batman taking down some more of Jack's boys. Burton tends to invest some comic flair to his actions sequences, and this is best demonstrated here by the expedient way Batman deals with one goon by simply back-punching him before he even has time to register Batman's presence.

This scene is most significant however, for introducing us to the first real controversy charged against Burton's Batman films: the issue of whether Batman should ever be portrayed as a killer? Of course, in this instance the more pertinent question is whether Batman actually intended the 'victim' Jack Napier's apparent death at all.

By this stage, an increasingly frantic Jack has already managed to evade Batman once thanks to the handy intervention of his trusty side-kick Bob, who has placed a gun to Commissioner Gordon's head. However, believing he's now got the upper-hand Jack starts counting his chickens way too soon. Although Batman has apparently disappeared in the time it's taken Jack to retrieve the pistol that was knocked out of his hand, he's not going to let a good bullet go to waste. Consequently, it's 'curtains' for turncoat Eckhart, who perhaps believed he had managed to extricate himself from the situation with his life, if not his career intact. Recalling his earlier 'advice' to Eckhart "to think about the future" Napier's fatal gunshot represents the film's first onscreen death, and to be honest Eckhart's rather prosaic fate is somewhat disappointing. Often in these types of films particularly vicious deaths are reserved for the most venal characters (I'm particularly thinking of the turncoats and double-dealers that populate some of the Bond films); however, compared to the fates that befall Alicia, Napier's rival gangsters and particularly the innocent news-anchor later in the film the shot to Eckhart's chest doesn't seem that nasty.

Nevertheless, this action rouses Batman back onto the scene. Unfortunately for Jack, having taken another shot at his new nemesis, the bullet ricochets off Batman's protective armour and apparently rips through the side of Jack's face. This causes a temporarily blinded Jack (somewhat unconvincingly) to somersault off the barrier-protected ledge the two men are standing on, barely managing to prevent himself from descending into a large vat of acid by clutching onto an overhead metal bar.

It is at this moment, Batman goes to reach for Napier, ostensibly trying to save the felon. From the strained grimace on his face it does appear that Batman is desperately doing everything he can to help Jack, yet at the split second he loses his grip there is some ambiguity as to whether or not he has purposefully chosen to let go, possibly suggesting that he already knows the identity of his parents' murderer (although that notion is arguably countered in a later scene). The vague editing of this shot does seem to leave open Batman's potential culpability (as The Joker later states "I created you; you created me"), and though I am firmly in the camp of those who believe Batman was genuinely acting with the most heroic intentions I like the debate such scenes inspire.

In any case, Napier plummets spectacularly into the bubbling pool of toxic chemicals, much like he does in 'The Killing Joke' graphic novel; his apparent death, witnessed by Gordon and his men, establishing Batman as Gotham's new public enemy #1, forcing the latter to make a hasty getaway.

As this sequence ends, we are left with the eerie and foreboding shot of Jack's 'lucky deck' rising to the surface of the toxic waste, followed by a bleached white hand.

 

[Homer J. Fong]

11. Dinner for Two

(Running time: 0:30:22 - 0:34:08)

Spoiler

The following day, Knox and Vicki are hot on the trail and smart enough not to buy the suicide claims. (Robert Wuhl's mock-insulted reading of "he hung up" always makes me laugh.) Unusually, this movie actually implies that there is more than one competent reporter at The Gotham Globe; both Knox and Vale are genuinely good at their jobs, going above and beyond, and in a film like this, that tends to be true about just one of the heroes (typically "the girl"). And unsurprisingly, when Vicki tells Knox that she has a date with none other than Bruce Wayne, this doesn't come across as good news.

The rest of this scene, showing that date, demonstrates both the picture's strengths and weaknesses. As for the former, it's an effective demonstration of the solitude in which Wayne leads his life, and the awkwardness of trying to begin an actual relationship with someone. Keaton and Basinger are so good at depicting those things, and this feels like the most ordinary moment of the film (cringe-inducing small talk and all - "Did you have trouble finding the house?"). The image of that achingly long table is an obvious one to hold up as meaningful, but it works. (By the way, who salts their soup?) We also see the discomfort this Bruce feels with the wealth he has inherited; he'll use the underground but the rest seems more like an obligation.

Michael Gough is at his most warm and paternal in perhaps the whole series, telling an old story of taking Bruce horseback-riding. He's very charming, and the moment is quite sincere.

However, it's onto the weakness now, and that's the Bruce/Vicki romance in general. It's not the acting at all, nor this scene in particular, but the writing and direction of the romance throughout, beginning here, feels like that of two people who hadn't had to build a convincing romantic relationship as the core of a movie before, and didn't (a) really know how to handle it, (b) really have their hearts in it. I know that's a broad rhing to say, and I'll go into specific points later on.

 

[Jack O Lantern]

What's really great about the opening credits is that it brings people into the world painlessly.

If you look at most sci-fi/ fantasy movies the opening usually has something that eases the audience out of the real world and into the movie's world. Superman: The Movie had the theatre and the comic book, the Spider-man movies all start with a voice over, Star Wars and it's sequals have the scrolling writing.

In the case of Batman we are brought into a labyrith. When we exit we have see the Bat emblem, we are know in Batman's world.

 

[Homer J. Fong]

12. Drastic Surgery

(Running time: 0:34:09 - 0:36:09)

Spoiler

See, this is what happens when you don’t pay for a decent plastic surgeon.

I have to admit, for most of my childhood, I couldn’t watch this movie, the reason being one Jack Nicholson as The Joker, of course. I’m sure he’d be very glad to know he scared the hell out of at least one young Bat-fan, because it wouldn’t be much of a performance otherwise. Obviously, at some point I got over it. This is still a powerful scene, though, perfectly staged to allow a superbly broad first stage of the character’s reveal (and rebirth). Again, Burton loves to reveal his characters when he can, and as with Batman, our villain is treated to a multi-stage entrance. This tactic would be used again with both The Penguin and Catwoman in Batman Returns.

It isn’t the meatiest scene, but the actors do quite a good job here, with Nicholson turning more manic as he rapidly unfurls the bandage, breaks the mirror, shuts the light, and walks out – cackling madly for the first time in the film. I do love the way he turns out the light; it’s not an overtly sinister move, but it comes off as such, although the surgeon here is let off more easily than anyone else Jack comes across – because, after all, he’s given him a new lease on life. Also effective here is the actor playing the bargain-basement surgeon (I believe his name is Steve Plytas), a pretty sympathetic figure for his brief screentime.

Now, the rest of this scene, to me, does not work. It’s nothing major, but the drunken “flirtatious” dialogue between Bruce (who comes off oddly smooth here, so that doesn’t fit) and Vicki feels stilted. The relationship needs to be accelerated for the purpose of the plot, and it’s clear that that element was the one that was worked on the least through the various drafts. If I’m wrong about that, and obviously I could be, I would be pretty surprised.

This scene made quite a fair bit of impact on its own, actually. Two series that paid homage to it come to mind straightaway: the Last Exit to Springfield episode of The Simpsons (Lisa smashes a mirror and cackles after seeing her new braces, terrifying her dentist), and the closing of Two-Face: Part 1 on Batman: The Animated Series (Harvey demands a mirror after his own scarring) Clearly, simple staging is often the best.

 

[CFE]

you could also go as far as to say the Surgery Scene inspired a hyper-gratuitous version for Jigsaw in "Punisher: War Zone."

 

[El Payaso]

12. Drastic Surgery

(Running time: 0:34:09 - 0:36:09)

See, this is what happens when you don’t pay for a decent plastic surgeon.

One of the things I like the most about this scene, and about Jack Nicholson as the Joker in general, is how his crazy guffaw is so perfect I could actually see the "HA!"s all over the screen.

Something like:

I also think that the scene got inspiration from Hitchcock's Psycho, with the chair, the badly-lit room and the bulb dangling to and fro.

**************

BTW

I haven't posten here too often, for all I love this movie, but I want to say I can't be enjoying this thread more than I do. Excellent detailed reviews.

 

[Homer J. Fong]

you could also go as far as to say the Surgery Scene inspired a hyper-gratuitous version for Jigsaw in "Punisher: War Zone."

I actually haven't gotten around to seeing War Zone yet. A "hyper-gratuitous" version sounds like it's missing the point, though.

One of the things I like the most about this scene, and about Jack Nicholson as the Joker in general, is how his crazy guffaw is so perfect I could actually see the "HA!"s all over the screen.

Something like:

**************

BTW

I haven't posten here too often, for all I love this movie, but I want to say I can't be enjoying this thread more than I do. Excellent detailed reviews.

Well, we always hear that the movie takes its mood or approach from the first year of Detective Comics or The Dark Knight Returns, but there's not so much talk about The Killing Joke. That's probably because now that we have The Dark Knight, we can see that that movie is closer to TKJ's story and tone. But Batman is closer to TKJ's artwork and visual iconography, as a page like that demonstrates. There's one panel in particular in that book where The Joker looks strikingly like Nicholson, although I don't have it on hand now.

And thanks!